The present invention concerns a clip ring that is applied to a grooved shaft, or is applied for the like purposes, and the invention relates to a device that prevents the clip ring from spreading and moving out of the groove on the shaft, when the shaft is moved axially while the clip ring is blocked from moving along with the shaft.
A clip ring, also sometimes known as a locking disk, spring retainer, spring clip, or the like, is generally a U-shaped or horseshoe shaped ring with an opening into one side that is wide enough to enable the clip ring to be passed over the shaft at the groove. The clip ring has two sides that are joined by a web at the closed side of the clip ring. The two sides are spaced apart, and particularly the inner periphery of the central opening of the clip ring is of a smaller diameter than the outer diameter of the shaft and is usually at least approximately the diameter of the floor of the groove in the shaft so that the clip ring is held in position on the shaft by the side walls that define the groove. The clip ring on the shaft is typically abutted against another surface for preventing the clip ring and the shaft on which it is located from moving past the abutment. Force applied to the shaft to move it tends to bend the clip ring and as the force becomes greater, the clip ring spreads wider or radially outward at its open or split side until it is wide enough to slip out of the groove and separate from the shaft. This often can occur when the clip ring on the shaft is pressing against an abutment and is opposing the force applied to the shaft by the tightening of a threaded nut onto a screw threaded section of the shaft, which draws the shaft in one direction. There are other numerous applications for clip rings where the shaft on which it is mounted is drawn to press the clip ring against the abutment.
Clip rings are of course well known. Examples are found in the prior art, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,026,454 and 3,595,123. Other such locking devices are known as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,340,760 and 4,040,602. None of the prior art appears to teach means for preventing the clip ring from spreading.